! Holy Questions Not Wholly Answered Poem by Michael Shepherd

When I asked them, why did You
need to send Him, they said
I was too young to ask such questions;
I should just be glad..

I wondered but did not say,
were You sorry that perhaps
it hadn’t gone quite right
first time? ..

I wondered but did not say,
how could they be sure
he was the only son; might You - or we - not need
another Son, every now and then?

Later, I began to understand
the huge risk that You took
in giving us freewill; and saw
the mercy of Your sending sons
whenever we had strayed too far..

How I would love You more,
how I would love Him more,
if others would not claim
this Coming to be unique..and Ours...

then I would love You
for Your mercy, as
I loved You when I was a child:
as the father in all fathers;
I, the son who would be
every son.